HILLSVILLE — Armed robbers broke into a home on Bronco Road early last Thursday, assaulted a resident and took $300 after a struggle, according to Carroll Sheriff Warren Manning.

Police have 27-year-old Kimberly Ann Edwards, no address given, in custody, but are still searching for 31-year-old Chris Robert Childress of Hillsville in connection with the incident, the sheriff said.

The break-in occurred during the early morning hours at the home of Robert Caldwell, according to a press release. At the time, Caldwell was at home sleeping.

INDEPENDENCE — Grayson County residents will likely see a 44 percent increase in their real estate taxes next year, a decision that came last Wednesday as supervisors began winding down the budget process.

The board of supervisors welcomed Corbin Stone of Robinson, Farmer, Cox Associates — the firm completing a financial forecast for the county — to its budget work session on May 5.

Stone presented the board with a draft of the county’s financial forecast, which projects Grayson’s fiscal health over the next five years.

To June Donithan, it feels like she has just moved into a new home, she says, as a weatherization crew of Rooftop of Virginia Community Action Program and others work to repair her 1970s- model trailer by replacing windows and doors, and putting in insulation, fire and carbon monoxide detectors and energy-efficient lights.

“It’s like a miracle,” said Donithan, 82, of Galax. “It’s a blessing that God would send these people here so I might have a better way of living and paying for heating and electric bills.”

HILLSVILLE — There's a lot to do to qualify for a federal loan, and not much time to do it, said Rural Development's Travis Jackson in a visit to the Carroll Board of Supervisors meeting Monday.

There's some urgency if Carroll County officials want to qualify for the loan to renovate two schools and get a 35 percent rebate on interest from the federal government, Jackson noted, when joining Carroll Schools Superintendent Greg Smith in a presentation to the county board.

Rita Carico, who was shot in the face and chest while working in the dairy section of Walmart about 10 p.m. on May 1, has been released from Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, according to Galax Police Chief Rick Clark.

The gunman, A.G. Anderson, 64, of Galax died at North Carolina Baptist Hospital from a self-inflicted wound to the head.

Clark said investigators have not yet interviewed Carico, 57, of Galax about the events and will not comment on a motive or the relationship between Anderson and Carico until she has been interviewed.

HILLSVILLE -- For a bunch of young kids, the Carroll County softball team put together a veteran-type effort last week, rolling to two slaughter-rule victories and notching a signature win over Richlands in Southwest District action. The week culminated with an 18-0 shelling of Marion on Friday for the Cavaliers (6-8 overall, 4-5 district), who field two seniors and two juniors peppered among a core of sophomores and freshmen.

MAX MEADOWS -- Grayson County wasted a six-run lead but was still able to throw a wrench into the Mountain Empire District baseball standings, knocking off league leader Fort Chiswell 8-7 in an eight-inning thriller Tuesday. The Pioneers rallied from being down 7-1 in the middle of the fourth and knotted the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh.